59° 



X AT CUE 



[OnobEK 8, 190S 



hydrogen under reduced pressure 15" absolute were 

 obtained, and using 200 litres of helium it was possible 

 to continue the experiment long enough to obtain liquid 

 helium boiling at 4''-5 absolute. A temperature of 3° was 

 reached without any sign of solidification. Dr. Onnes 

 hopes to reach i°-5 absolute. Sir James Dewar pointed 

 out the intimate connection between low-temperature re- 

 search and the theory of van der 'W'aals, and gave an 

 account of anticipations of and experiments on the lique- 

 faction of helium, showing how statements made in his 

 presidential address at Belfast in 1902 had proved to be 

 accurate. 



A discussion on the nature of chemical change was opened 

 by Prof. H. E. .Armstrong, who contended that dissolution 

 involves associative and distributive changes. Water is 

 supposed to be a complex mi.xture of active and inactive 

 molecules, the active molecules being hydrone (OH^) or 



hydrone-kydrol I H.,0<C[oH )' '^"^ ^^^ inactive molecules 

 closed systems formed by the association of two or more 

 simple molecules. In a solution of hydrogen chloride 



molecules of the type H,0<q and HCI<^^ exist, the 



latter being the more prevalent in weaker solutions. The 

 properties of aqueous solutions were explained on this 

 hypothesis. Sir Oliver Lodge pointed out that these 

 hydrogen chloride molecules were not very different from 

 the hydrated ions postulated by followers of the ionic 

 theory. Subsequently Prof. .Armstrong's theory was 

 adversely criticised by Dr. Kindlay, Dr. Donnan, and Dr. 

 Wilsmore. 



The discussion on problems of fermentation was 

 arranged to focus as clearly as possible the present state 

 of knowledge. Dr. Harden gave an account of the present 

 position of the zymase theory. He showed that the 

 fermentative activity of yeast juice is due to two sub- 

 stances, w-hich may be separated by passing through a 

 Martin dialyser at 50 atmospheres pressure. The residue 

 contains the enzyme, the filtrate the so-called co-enzyme, 

 and these only ferment sugar when united, either separately 

 being inactive. Sodium phosphate causes an increase in 

 the rate of fermentation ; apparently a he.xose phosphate 

 is first formed, which breaks down to fermentaljle sugar 

 and sodium phosphate. Prof. -Adrian Brown discussed 

 cellular fermentation, which is generally stated to be con- 

 trolled by the rate of diffusion of the sugar fermented 

 into the cell. Under normal conditions the enzymes are 

 inside the cell and do not leave it, but under un- 

 healthy conditions the enzyme probably leaves the yeast 

 cell. 



Dr. A. Slator pointed out that the conversion of glucose 

 into alcohol and carbon dioxide is a series of reactions, 

 and that the velocity of change is determined by the rate 

 of the slowest reaction. The rate of fermentation is pro- 

 portiona'l to the amount of yeast present, and independent 

 of the concentration of the sugar. He suggested that 

 glucose and fructose are fermented by one enzyme, mannose 

 by another, and galactose by a third. Galactose is fer- 

 mented only by yeasts which have been grown in the 

 presence of galactose. 



Dr. E. F. -Armstrong dealt with the role of enzymes in 

 fermentation. The mechanism is quite distinct from the 

 sucroclastic enzymes ; in the case of glucose, fructose, or 

 mannose the first step is the conversion, by means of an 

 enzyme, into the common enolic form, and the formation 

 of a compound between enzyme and enolic form. He 

 further alluded to the question of adaptation of the 

 organism to nutrition, pronouncing in favour of the view 

 that something which is already present, though hitherto 

 latent, is developed in response to stimulation, and opposed 

 the idea that an altogether new enzyme is formed. This 

 view was developed by Prof. Gotch and Prof. Keeble. 

 Prof. H. E. .Armstrong described the recent work of 

 F. Ehrlich, who has shown that the supposed bv-products 

 of alcoholic fermentation are in reality produced bv the 

 action of yeast on amino-acids derived from the protein 

 complex. 



Messrs. Julian L. Baker and H. F. E. Hulton con- 

 tributed a preliminary note on the action of the enzymes 

 NO. 20-52, VOL. 78] 



of malt on ungerminated cereals. -A considerable increase 

 in the diastatic activity of barley takes place when it is 

 digested in presence of malt extract. 



Prof. \V. H. Perkin gave a brief account of the history 

 of synthetical progress in the terpene series, and described 

 the methods and stages in the process of synthesis of 

 terpineol, carvestrene, and also the first optically active 

 terpineol. Subsequently, Dr. Weizmann dealt with the 

 methods suggested for the preparation of synthetical 

 camphor on a commercial scale. Under laboratory con- 

 ditions many of the processes yield from 70 per cent, to 

 80 per cent, of the theory, but on a large scale the yield 

 and purity of the product have frequently left much to be 

 desired. .A method was described of converting pinene 

 hydrochloride into isobornyl acetate by means of glacial 

 acetic acid and zinc chloride. 



Dr. T. M. Lowry gave an account of the work done by 

 the committee on dynamic isomerism. The most important 

 feature of the year's work has been the discovery of a 

 group of agents by means of which isomeric change- — '\n 

 the case of camphor derivatives — can be retarded or com- 

 pletely arrested. Such are carbonyl chloride and acetyl 

 chloride ; the action of the former probably depends on its 

 power of converting ammonia and bases, such as piperidine, 

 into neutral carbamides. The relationship between absorp- 

 tion spectra and isomeric change has been tested in 

 the case of a number of optically active camphor 

 derivatives. 



.A further case of dynamic isomerism observed in 

 derivatives of oxvmethvlene camphor was described by 

 Prof. \V. J. Pope and M"r. John Read. 



Dr. J. -A. Smythe dealt with problems of tautomeric 

 change in a paper on the reaction between benzyl sulph- 

 oxide and hydrochloric acid. 



Matter of very great interest was contained in a paper 

 by Prof. -Adrian Brown on the selective permeability of 

 certain seeds. The coverings of grains act as semi- 

 permeable membranes towards sulphuric acid solutions ; 

 water passes into the grain, and the acid solution becomes 

 more concentrated. The membrane prevents the passage 

 even of 36 per cent, acid, but in this case water passes 

 out of the grain to dilute the acid. The membrane is 

 likewise impermeable to most salts. Iodine, however, does 

 pass through, also mercuric chloride and cyanide, but no 

 other mercury salts. Organic acids, such as acetic acid, 

 pass through the membrane, but not lactic acid. The 

 grains thus exercise selective permeability, the permeable 

 compounds being non-dissociated or only very slightly 

 dissociated. 



.A report on colloidal chemistry was presented by Prof. 

 Procter, and approved for printing in extenso. This deals 

 very fullv with the properties of colloids and with the 

 history of the more recent development of the subject, the 

 industrial importance of which is being gradually recog- 

 nised. Xot only are tanning and dyeing particularly con- 

 cerned with the mutual precipitation of colloids, but such 

 industries as rubber, gums, dextrin, glue, and cellulose 

 are all colloid.nl. as also many inorganic industries, e.g. 

 glass manufacture and pigment making. Such a summary 

 is very opportune at the present moment. 



Dr. -A. Findlay gave a preliminary account of an 

 investigation of the influence of colloids on the absorption 

 of gases by water, a subject which has a bearing on the 

 absorption of carbon dioxide by blood. Most of the 

 colloids studied had relatively little influence on the solu- 

 bility of carbon dioxide in w'ater. 



Prof. Pope and Mr. Wm. Barlow gave a short account 

 of their theory of valency as applied to elucidating the 

 structure of the open-chain hydrocarbons. This was illus- 

 trated by some excellent models. The subject of valency 

 was further dealt with from a theoretical point of view 

 bv Mr. H. Bateman, who defines valency as a number 

 which indicates the degrees of freedom for departure from 

 the existing state of motion of the charged particles which 

 constitute the element. 



Dr. J. Timmermans showed an apparatus and described 

 investigations on the densities of liquids from 0° C. to 

 their melting points in continuation of Young's experi- 

 ments on the rectilinear diameter. 



Dr. H. J. S. Sand gave a demonstration on the rapid 



